World Cup: Shocked media slams 'Disgraceful' Brazilians

World Cup: Shocked media slams 'Disgraceful' Brazilians

Brazilian newspapers and websites were unanimous on Tuesday that the national team's 7-1 hammering by Germany in the World Cup semi-final was the greatest shame in the country's illustrious footballing history.

'Disgrace of Disgraces'

The Folha website had a picture of Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari signalling to a player with seven fingers aloft and reproduced a gallery of crying fans.

The globoesporte website, part of the Globo media empire, called the result the 'Disgrace of Disgraces', in an ironic reference to President Dilma Rousseff’s repeated claims -- and tweets -- that this would be the World Cup of all World Cups.

The hashtag they chose instead was #I Can’t Believe it.

O Globo, the flagship paper of the Rio empire, preferred to lead with the words of Scolari, who told reporters that he accepted the blame for the result.

'Off to Rio on a High'

Despite heavy storms, fireworks rang out across Berlin after each goal on Tuesday night and after the final whistle cars raced through the city with honking horns and German flags hanging from the windows.

Commentary filled the airwaves, with former players lining up to speculate on whether the squad is as good as the revered West German World Cup winning teams of 1954 and 1974. The Germans also won in 1990.

Germany hopes to go on to win its fourth World Cup in Sunday's final, which Chancellor Angela Merkl, who is regularly welcomed into the squad's dressing room, is expected to attend.

Looking ahead to that match, the online edition of the Sueddeutsche Zeitung wrote "Off to Rio on a High".

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Image: German fans in New York City react after Germany's seventh goal.Photographs: Andrew Burton/Getty Images

'Game of the century'

But some commentators tempered the celebrations with workmanlike reminders that the event that will define the team's legacy is still to come.

"If you win 7:1 you have done everything right," former national player Olaf Thon told Deutschlandfunk radio, adding the game would be remembered as a "game of the century". However, he cautioned not to take anything for granted: "But in the end what will count is who wins the final."

Germany will face either Argentina or the Netherlands, who play each other in the second semi-final on Wednesday.

Image: The German players celebrate with scorer Thomas Mueller after their first goalPhotographs: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images